Rat-proof building



(No Model.)

J. HICKS.

RAT PROOF BUILDING. No. 282,636. Patented Aug. 7, 1883.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS.

IL PETERS, MW. Wm M:

UNITED STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

JOSHUA HICKS, or SANDFORD, INDIANA.

RAT-PROOF BUILDING.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 282,636, dated August 7,1883. Application filed June 4, 1883. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may-concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSHUA HICKS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Sandford,

in the county of Vigo and State of Indiana,-

have invented a new and useful Rat-Proof Building, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

This invention relates to rat-proof buildings 5 and itsobject is toprovide simple, inexpen-,

sive, and efficient means for preventing the access of rats, mice, andother vermin into such buildings as barns, out-buildings, corn-cribs,and the like, and to effect the extermination of the same should theyendeavor to-.secure entrance into the same.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a building embodyingmy improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through thesame.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the building proper, which maybe of the desired construction, but is elevated upon a brick or stonefoundation, B, extending entirely around the building, and some distanceabove and below the ground, as shown. In buildings of this kind, wherethere is a simple foundation, the rats will burrow under the foundationfrom the surface of the ground outside and up under the floor of thebuilding. The rats always burrow from the outside close to thefoundation, and to obviate this, after the building is constructed Iform an excavation around the entire foundation, extending from thelatter about two feet, and having a depth of three or four inches. Thisis filled with gravel, 0, preferably composed of both coarse and finequalities, and this gravel bed prevents the burrowing of the rats andserves to prevent them from effecting an entrance under the foundation.Suitableventilating-openings, D, may be formed in the foundation; butthese are covered with a screen or metallic network, E, to bar theentrance.

To provide for the extermination of the rats,

| should they come about the building, a long tube, F, is preferablysecured in the foundation, and has an open mouth, G, but is closed atits rear end, H, as shown. The rats will enter this tube, as it affordsthe only opening through the foundation, when a .rod, I, is adapted tohave its head J, which corresponds in shape to the interior of the tube,inserted at the mouth. The inner face of this head J is provided withprojecting pins or prongs K, which, as the head follows up the rat, willkill the animal and impale it, when as the rod is withdrawn from thetube the rat will also be carried out by the prongs.

The operation and advantages of my invention will be readily understood.It is very simple and inexpensive, and can be readily applied toinfested buildings without chang ing the construction of the. samematerially.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, with the building, of thetube connected therewith, and-having the open mouth and closed back, andthe follower-rod, having the head corresponding to the interior of thetube, and providedv with the pins or prongs on its inner face, as andfor the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the foundation, .extending above and below theground, and provided with the tube having the open mouth and closed backwall, the structure mounted upon the foundation, the gravel bedextending from the foundation on all sides, and having a depth below thesurface, and the follower-rod carrying the head having the pins orprongs, andadapted to work in the tube, as and forthe purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoingas my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses. I

, JOSHUA HICKS.

Witnesses: 1 7

WM. MACK, W. A. Dox.

